Janine Wiedel Photo Library - Documentary images

Recife in northeastern Brazil is the 4th largest metropolitan area in the country. It has a complicated history which has left it with one of the most culturally diverse populations in Brazil. In the mid 16th century the Portuguese settled the land and prospered by growing sugarcane. In the mid 17th century, the Dutch invaded and took control . The inhabitants then rose up and expelled the Dutch. The population is primarily a mix of native Indians, Portuguese, African slaves, and Dutch. However, over the years people from many other countries settled there. Recife also had first Jewish Community in the Americas. This is a small selection. For more enter keywords into search or contact me direct

This is a small selection. For more enter keywords into search or contact me direct

This community of Palafitas or stilt dwellers living on the riverbanks next to "Brasilia Teimosa" in central Recife, in Northeastern Brazil, are amongst the last remaining on this riverbank. "Brasilia Teimosa" which means stubborn or resilient in Portuguese, has over many years resisted the encroachment of Large-scale developers. In 2003, former President Lula da Silva made it his mission to transform the area. When he took power he announced that "the shantytown", Brasília Teimosa, was to be the template for his government's "new and more humane social policy". The first step was to tear down the Palafitas. The majority of the Palafitas have now been torn down. However, the people living in them were not re-housed within the area, as promised, but rather placed in an unfinished housing project an hour away by bus. This dislocation has removed many from their livelihoods as fishermen. This last remaining community of Palafitas is now about to be evicted and replaced by access routes to the towns latest large scale shopping centre. Brasilia Teimosa itself remains resistant to the continues attentions of private private developers.

In Brazil, "The Landless Worker's Movement" or "Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra" (MST) is a social movement which fights for civil rights and land reform in a country where just 3% of the population owns two thirds of all arable lands. Land occupations are rooted in the Brazilian Constitution, which says land that remains unproductive should be used for a "larger social function." Since 1985 the Sem Terre (MST) have peacefully occupied unused land throughout Brazil. Recognizable by the mud huts and the red flag flying. This is a small camp are occupied by just a few families, however many others have built schools, clinics and large cooperative farms .